News Update: Organised Crime Squad Continues Probe into Newcastle Diver Death
Date: Monday, 24 June 2024
Detectives from the Organised Crime Squad executed a search warrant at a Lurnea property last week as part of the ongoing investigation into the death of a Brazilian diver in Newcastle.
The incident occurred on Monday, 9 May 2022, when emergency services were called to the Port of Newcastle around 9:30 am. A male diver, later identified as 31-year-old Bruno Borges Martins, was found unresponsive in the water. Nearby, authorities discovered 54kg of cocaine. Despite efforts from witnesses and paramedics, Martins could not be revived.
The search for a second diver, 32-year-old Jhoni Fernandes Da Silva, remains ongoing.
The investigation, initially handled by local police, is now led by the State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad under Strike Force Groove, with assistance from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force (ABF), Northern Territory Police (NTPOL), and Queensland Police Service (QPS). Two men have been charged and are currently before the courts.
Detectives recently identified that Da Silva may have stayed in a granny flat at the rear of a home on Jedda Road, Lurnea, for one or two months. A crime scene warrant was executed at this location around 5:45 pm on Wednesday, 19 June 2024. Specialist officers conducted a forensic examination, including the use of luminol, fingerprints, and DNA analysis.
Investigations under Strike Force Groove are ongoing.
